Setting tool for bridging plugs



Dec- 15, 1941. H. J. QUINTRELL E-rAL SETTING TOOL FOR BRIDGING PLUGS Filed Dec. 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VENTORS HARRY J gym/7:6544 65e/v feW//Y 0% CM c A TTORNE Y lc-S Dec. 16, 1941.

H. J. QUINTRELL ETAL SETTING TOOL FOR BRIDGING PLUGS Filed Dec. 1i, 1939 smag' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTORS #me/ev J Qa//VTBELL A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE Quintrell, San Gabriel, and Bernard F. Irwin, Los Angeles, Calif.,

assignors to Lane- Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation o! Delaware Application December 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,608 12 Claims. (Cl. 166-13)A bridging plug within a well casing by means of a conductor cable or wire rope;

Second, to provide a setting tool of this char ter which is particularly designed for bridging,

plugs of the type whichlock against both upward and downward movement;'

Third, to provide a setting tool wherein the slips and packing elements of a bridging plug are driven by a spring into an setting position without detaching the setting tool whereby, by exerting a pull upon the cable, it can be ascertained whether or not the bridging plug is properly set, and upon subsequent lowering and raising of the cable the setting tool may be readily disconnected from the bridging Plug;

Fourth, to provide a bridging plug which utilizes an explosive charge to release parts to elect setting of the bridging plug;

Fifth, to provide a setting tool in which the various parts, such as keys and the like, are vnot lost but are collected and retrieved .with the bridging plug for further use; and

Sixth, to provide a setting tool of this characyter whichis capable of operating although submerged to great depths in liquid, and which is.

capable of operating repeatedly without failure event though remotely controlled and subjected to the extreme adverse conditions inherently present in an oil well.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of our setting tool shown attached to a. bridging plug as it appears when lowering the bridging plug into a well;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, longitudinalsectional view through 2-2 of Figure 1, with parts and portions in elevation;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal view similar to Figure 2,A showing the setting tool asit appears when disconnected from the bridging plug and being withdrawn;

Figures 4, and 6 are longitudinal sectional views similar to Figure 2, but on a larger scale,

'illustrating the succeeding stepswhich occur in the operation of the setting tool;`

Figure 4 illustrates the parts in position assumed before initial operation of the setting tool; Figure A5 shows the parts after the setting tool spring has been released and the bridging plug set; and

Figure 6 shows the parts of the setting tool in the positions assumed when disconnecting the setting tool from the bridgingv plug just prior to withdrawingthe same.

In Figure 1 the bridging plug is indicated generally by A and the setting tool by the reference character B. 'I'he bridging plug which, insofar as this application is concerned, is substantially conventional, comprises a mandrel I of uniform diameter having a head2 at its lower end and provided with slidably mounted `cones 3, one converging toward the head 2 and the other toward the upper end of the mandrel. The cones 3 support and guide slips 4. Between the cones is ypositioned a packing sleeve 5 adapted to be expanded as the slips and cones are moved toward each other. 'I'he several slips are'initially held in place on their respective cones 3 by means of shear pins 6. These shear pins may extend through the cones into the mandrel so that the cones likewise are held in place. The shear pins are so constructed that connections between the cones and mandrel shear before the connections between the slips and cones, so that the packing sleeve is iirst caused to expand.

In order to lock the parts of the bridging plug in place after the slips have set 'and the packing sleeve has expanded, the upper end of the mandrel is fitted with a locking ring collar 1 having internal channels adapted to receive split locking rings 8 adapted to engage tooth-shaped serrations formed in the mandrel I.v

The setting tool includes a collar II which is adapted to be connected to cable head H suspended on a cable C. The cable is preferably of the multiple-stranded wire rope type with a conductor core. 'I'he collar II is screw-threaded at its lower end to the upper end of a tubular connecting bar I2 which, in turn, is connected by screw threads to a gun body I3.

The gun body I3 is formed from a cylindrical block of metal equal in diameter to theconnecting bar I2. A relatively deep socket is formed in the lower end of the body I3 and the lower portion of the socket is threaded to ,receive a gun barrel I9. The inner end of the socket is reduced in diameter and receives an explosive cartridge I4; The cartridge is preferably the type disclosed in Patent No; 2,092,317 issued September 7, 1937, to W. G. Lane. It consists ofa shell containing an explosive powder in which is provided a lament adapted to be heated when thereby y end of the connecting bar for engagement with a terminal (not shown) lprovided in the cable head. An insulated conductor I8 extends through the connecting bar and joins the terminal fittings I6 and Il.

The gun barrel I9 iscylindrical in form, its midportion is equal in diameter to the connecting bar and gun bore, its upper end is reduced and threaded for connection with'the gun body and its lower end is likewise reduced to form a barrel stem I9 a. -The barrel I9 has a bore of uniform diameter.

A shear disc 20 is interposed between the shoulder formed in the body member at the lower end of the cartridge chamber and the upper end of the barrel I9. The shear disc serves initially to seal the cartridge chamber against water intrusion and upon discharge of the cartridge to retard expansion of the. explosive charge until a predetermined pressure has been generated.

The connecting bar I2 is provided with a shoulder 2l thereon a substantial distance below the collar II. bar, between the shoulder 2I and collar, is a cap member 22 into which is screw-threaded the upper end of a connecting tube 23. The lower end.

of the connecting tube 23 extends below the larger. diametered portion of the gun barrel and is joined to a coupling 24. .The coupling 24 is in turn connectedto a retainer tube 25 which nts within the mandrel I of the bridging plug. The coupling 24 is larger in diameter than the connecting tube 23 so as to form a. shoulder 26.

A setting sleeve 2I lits over the coupling 24 and connecting tube 23. 'I'he setting sleeve 2'I is constructed at its upper end to form a.slidin g fit with the connecting tube 23 andV provide a shoulder 28 which'coacts with the shoulder 26 to limit downward movement.

Initially, however, the setting sleeve occupies an upper lposition with its lower end telescoping vslightly over the mandrel I and terminating in proximity to the locking ring collar 1. The lower end of the setting sleeve 2l is enlarged slightly to lform an internal beveled shoulder 34. Registeringholes 32 and 33 are provided in the retainer tube 25 and mandrel I. These receive key balls 3l. which protrude into the enlarged lower end f the setting sleeve 21. engage the shoulder 34 and hold the setting sleeveagainst downward telcping movement over the mandrel I.

'Ihe setting sleeve 21 is urged downwardly by mushroom shaped-and comprises a central stem y 36 which flts the bore of the gun barrel, an enlarged head 31 capping the end of the gun barrel and an inverted or spacer cylinder 38 continuing upwardly from the head around the end of the gun barrel between the key balls 3|. The diam- .eter of the skirt is suillcient to hold the key balls outwardly in engagement withthe shoulder 34.

Between the outer or spacer cylinder 38 and the stem 36 of the keeper bullet there is space to accommodate the lower end of a sleeve 39, which extends upwardly through the coupling 24. A shoulder 40 is formed on the sleeve 39 to limit upward movement thereof through the coupling 24, and above the shoulder the sleeve is provided with longitudinal slots 4I. The walls of the sleeve are normally bent inwardly, as shown bestrin Figure 6, so that the upper end of the sleeve tends to constrict, but is initially restrained from doing so by the gun barrel I9 laround which it iits.

The sleeve 39 is provided near its lower end with a groove 42 adapted to receive ball keys 43 which lock in holes 44 formed near the outer end of the gun barrel. The ball keys 43 insure a positive connection between the cable and the bridging plug while the`bridging plug is being lowered into position. This connection is main tained until the keeper bullet 35 is driven down- Slidably mounted on the connecting i a setting spring 29 which .ts around the con- .necting tube 23 above the setting sleeve. A tension nut-36 isscrewthreaded on the connecting tube 23 and forms an abutment for the setting A spring. Slmlcient length of thread is provided on the connecting tube to permit the tension nut 3ltobebackedoil'andreleasethespringwhen assembling the parts of the setting tool.

The muzzle or constructed'portion I9a of the gun barrel I9 extends to a point between the key balls 3I.V Themuzzle endofthegunbarrelreceives a keeper bullet 35. The keeper bullet is wardly and the ball keys 3| are'caused to release the setting sleeve.

Operation of our setting tool is asV follows: When lowering the bridging plug into position the parts are in the positions shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, that is, the keeper bullet 35 is in place so that the ball keys 3l hold the retainer tube 25, mandrel I and setting sleeve 2l in an interlocked position. When the explosive charge I3 is set off suiiicient pressure is set up to shear the disc 20, and thereupon the keeper bullet 35 is driven outwardly from between the ball keys 3|. However, the -ball keys are, by reason of sleeve 39, allowed to move inwardly a distance only sumcient to release the setting sleeve. Thus, the spring acting through the setting sleeve causes the slips 4 to set and the packing sleeve5 to pack on betw'een the bridging plug and surrounding vto the cable C to insure adequate setting'oi the tool; thereupon the cable is again lowered, causing the gun barrel to move downwardly against the upper end of the sleeve 39. By reason of the slots 4I the upper'end of the sleeve 39 has contracted so that once the gun barrel is withdrawn it cannot reenter the sleeve, but drives the sleeve downwardly, as shown in Figure 6, so that the ball keys 3I fall inwardly and'entirely discon? neet the setting tool from the bridging plug. The setting tool is then removed and the parts appear in the positions shown in Figure 3. The' ball keys 43, keeper bullet 35, ball keys 3l and sleeve 39 are all caught by the retainertube 25, so that theymay be reassembled and used repeated1y.

II desired, a weight bar may be interposed between theisetting .tool and the cable to provide added weight and insure the necessary impact by the gun barrel against the sleeve to accom plish the operation shown in Figure 6.

In order that the several parts of the setting tool may move readily, even though the setting tool is submerged under a considerable head of water, bleeder ports are provided; thus bleeder ports 45 are formed in the headand stem of the keeper bullet 35, it being noted that only a small amount of force is necessary to drive the keeper bullet so that the bleeder port through the stem prevents the building up of excessive pressure -inside the gun barrel. The coupling 2l is provided with bleeder ports 4 0 so as to permit movement of the gun barrel, and the setting sleeve 21 is provided at its upper end with bleeder ports 41.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appended claims, in which it is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

We claim:

l. The combination with an oil well instrumentality adapted to be set within a well bore by relative movement of its parts, of a setting tool comprising: resilient means tending to set ysaid instrumentality; means initially restraining said resilient means, including keys and a keeper therefor; and electrically-responsive means for moving said keeper to release said keys.

2. The combination with an oil well-instrumentality adapted to beset within a well bore by relative movement of its parts, of a setting tool comprising: resilient means tending to set said instrumentality; -restraining means including keys initially connecting said setting tool with said instrumentality and also initially restraining said resilient means,- and a keeper for said rounding casing to resist both upward and downward movement in said casing, the parts of said bridging plug having an initial arrangement whereby said bridging plug may be moved freely in said well casing, of a setting tool comprising: relatively movable elements adapted to move the parts of said bridging plug into locking arrangement with said casing; a spring tending to move said elements; means for restraining said spring,

including keys, and a keeper; and electricallyresponsive means for moving said keeper to rekeys; an electrically-responsive means for causing said keys to release said resilient means; and

means operable by manipulation of said setting tool for causing said keys to disconnect said setting toolfrom said instrumentality.

3. A lcombination, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said electrical means includes an electrically-iired explosive charge and said keeper is positioned in the path of said charge.

4. 'I'he combination with an oil well'instrumentality adapted to be set within a well bore by relative movement of its parts, of a setting -tool comprising: resilient means tending to set said instrumentality keys initially positioned to secure said setting tool to said instrumentality and to restrain said resilient means, said keys capable ofy a primary movement to release said resilient means while remaining secured to said instrumentality and .capable 0f a secondary movement to disconnect said setting tool from said instrumentality; and primary and secondary keeper means operatively said keys.

5. The combination with a conductor cable and an oil well instrumentality adapted to be set 'gun unit initially positioned to hold said rel `straining means; and electrical means operable through said cable for discharging said gun to move said bullet and free said restraining means.

6. 'I'he combination with a bridging Plug havingmeans for locking engagement-with a surassociated with lease said keys and said spring.

'1. 'I'he combination with a bridging plug having means for loch'ng engagement with a surrounding casing to resist both upward and downward movement in said casing, the parts of said 'bridging plug having an initial arrangement whereby said bridging plug may be moved freely in said well casing, of a setting tool comprising: relatively movable elements adapted to move the parts of said bridging plug into locking arrangement with said casing; a spring tending to move said elements; means for restraining said spring, including keys, and a keeper; electrically-responsive means for moving said keeper to release said keys and said spring; and

subsequently operable means for disconnectingl said setting tool from said bridging plug.

8. The combination with an oil well device adapted to be operated by relative longitudinal movement of its parts, of a setting tool therefor, comprising: a body structure connected with one part of said device; a longitudinally movable member on said body structureand engageable with another part of said device; a spring on said body structure and engaging said member; a key for initially restraining said member; a keeper for holding said key; and a gun unit having an explosive charge adapted to be directed against said keeper to free said key and thereby release said member for movement under urge of said spring.

9. The combination with a bridging plug having a mandrel and'wedge means on said mandreladapted, upon relative longitudinal movement, to set said mandrel in a well bore, of a setting tool comprising: a body member; a spring adapted to engage said bridging plug to set said mandrel; key elements connecting said body member and mandrel and restraining said spring; meansfor eiecting a primary movement of said key elements to release saidl spring; and means for eiecting a secondary movement of said key elements to release said body member from said mandrel.

10. 'I'he combination with a bridging plughaving a mandrel and wedge means on said mandrel adapted, upon relative longitudinal movement, to set said mandrel in a well bore, of a setting tool comprising: a body member; a spring adapted to engage said bridging plug to set said mandrel; key elements connecting said body member and mandrel and restraining said spring;

electrically responsive means for effecting a primary movement of said key member to release said spring; and other means operable by manipulation o f said setting tool to effect a secondary movement of said key elements and release said connecting means.

11. The combination with a well tool having relatively movable parts adapted to wedge said well tool in awell bore, of a setting tool comprising: a body structure; releasable connecting means for operatively associating said body structure with one of said parts; a resilient means engageable with the other of said parts: a restrainer for said resilient means; a gun unit including a bullet adapted when discharged to release said restrainer.

able elements; aY spring tending' to move said elements; keys restraining said spring; and a gun unit including a bullet initially positioned to holdV said keys in their restraining position, said bullet adapted when discharged to free said y 5 keys. 12. In a' setting tool: a pair of relatively mov- .L

BERNARD F. IRWIN. HARRYJJQUmTRELL. 

